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耶和华必做全地的王

2024-01-30 in , /by

撒迦利亚书13:1  那日，必给大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，洗除罪恶与污秽。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书13:1-9

1「那日，必给大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，洗除罪恶与污秽。」

2 万军之耶和华说：「那日，我必从地上除灭偶像的名，不再被人记念，也必使这地不再有假先知与污秽的灵。 3 若再有人说预言，生他的父母必对他说：『你不得存活，因为你托耶和华的名说假预言。』生他的父母在他说预言的时候，要将他刺透。 4 那日，凡做先知说预言的必因他所论的异象羞愧，不再穿毛衣哄骗人。

“那日”，是一个警告，也是一个盼望。对万民而言，那是争战和复兴的日子，对万民而言，则是末世大扫除。在前面几章里，我们一直读到神要复兴以色列和耶路撒冷的信息，在教会的事工中，我们也常渴望复兴。但是我们想要的复兴和神要的复兴有点不同，我们要的复兴是人丁兴旺，财源茂盛；神要的复兴是人心里外的全然洁净。而，人很难一直保持洁净。所以在本章第一节，神要为大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，除罪恶与污秽。

为何要开泉源呢？有个池子或装个自来水不就行了吗？泉源，代表活水不停息的奔流，把脏的洗去，不停地洗。耶稣说：“人若喝我所赐的水，就永远不渴。我所赐的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生。（约4:14）”这就是人的状况，我们需要有从耶稣来的活水泉源，在我们的里面不断地冲去心里和思想的污秽，让我们里外洁净。现在有些人很流行灌肠，为了维持健康，天天都灌肠，要把那些对健康有影响的废物和肮脏都排得一干二净，以达到除百病和拥有健康的目的。我们的肉体需要保持干净，灵魂也是如此。

God Stands By Your Side

2024-01-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Zechariah 1:7-21.  It’s not an easy passage to understand, but the lessons in it are significant.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 

Zechariah 1:7 (NIV)
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. 
 
On verse 7:  Here Zechariah begins to recount 8 visions that he apparently received in a single night from God.  Verses 8-17 describe the first vision.
 
Zechariah 1:8 (NIV)
8 During the night I had a vision–and there before me was a man riding a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. 
 
On verse 8:  In his first vision Zechariah sees an angel who looks like a man riding a red horse, standing among the myrtle trees in the middle of a deep valley, and backed by other horses.  

Find Your Identity and Hope in God and His Word

2024-01-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Zechariah.

Here is some background on the book of Zechariah: 

– The book of Zechariah was written approximately in the 6th century B.C., probably around the same time as the book of Haggai (which we finished looking at together yesterday).  Haggai and Zechariah served God around the same time.  In fact, Zechariah started his own public ministry just a couple months after Haggai preached his first sermon.  

– Zechariah was one of 50,000 Jewish exiles who lived in Babylon but who were later allowed by the Persian empire to return to Jerusalem.  

– In Jerusalem, God used Zechariah much like He used Haggai: as a prophet to encourage the Jews to finish rebuilding Solomon’s temple and to get them ready for a king, a Messiah, to come.

– Zechariah’s name means “the Lord remembers”.

Today’s passage is Zechariah 1:1-6.  Let’s go!

末世大扫除

2024-01-29 in , /by

撒迦利亚书13:1  那日，必给大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，洗除罪恶与污秽。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书13:1-9

1「那日，必给大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，洗除罪恶与污秽。」

2 万军之耶和华说：「那日，我必从地上除灭偶像的名，不再被人记念，也必使这地不再有假先知与污秽的灵。 3 若再有人说预言，生他的父母必对他说：『你不得存活，因为你托耶和华的名说假预言。』生他的父母在他说预言的时候，要将他刺透。 4 那日，凡做先知说预言的必因他所论的异象羞愧，不再穿毛衣哄骗人。

“那日”，是一个警告，也是一个盼望。对万民而言，那是争战和复兴的日子，对万民而言，则是末世大扫除。在前面几章里，我们一直读到神要复兴以色列和耶路撒冷的信息，在教会的事工中，我们也常渴望复兴。但是我们想要的复兴和神要的复兴有点不同，我们要的复兴是人丁兴旺，财源茂盛；神要的复兴是人心里外的全然洁净。而，人很难一直保持洁净。所以在本章第一节，神要为大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民开一个泉源，除罪恶与污秽。

为何要开泉源呢？有个池子或装个自来水不就行了吗？泉源，代表活水不停息的奔流，把脏的洗去，不停地洗。耶稣说：“人若喝我所赐的水，就永远不渴。我所赐的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生。（约4:14）”这就是人的状况，我们需要有从耶稣来的活水泉源，在我们的里面不断地冲去心里和思想的污秽，让我们里外洁净。现在有些人很流行灌肠，为了维持健康，天天都灌肠，要把那些对健康有影响的废物和肮脏都排得一干二净，以达到除百病和拥有健康的目的。我们的肉体需要保持干净，灵魂也是如此。

耶路撒冷必蒙拯救

2024-01-28 in , /by

撒迦利亚书12:9  那日，我必定意灭绝来攻击耶路撒冷各国的民。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 12:1-14

1耶和华论以色列的默示。铺张诸天，建立地基，造人里面之灵的耶和华说： 2 「我必使耶路撒冷被围困的时候，向四围列国的民成为令人昏醉的杯，这默示也论到犹大。

3 「那日，我必使耶路撒冷向聚集攻击她的万民当做一块重石头，凡举起的必受重伤。」 4 耶和华说：「到那日，我必使一切马匹惊惶，使骑马的颠狂。我必看顾犹大家，使列国的一切马匹瞎眼。 5 犹大的族长必心里说：『耶路撒冷的居民倚靠万军之耶和华他们的神，就做我们的能力。』

在前一章里神要先知扮演好牧人和坏牧人，以表达神对以色列人献祭心态的厌恶，但是以色列人还是没什么反应。有时候我们听神的话，似乎也是毫无反应。作完礼拜，查完经，大家一起去饮茶，去吃饭，把牧者的话都放在教堂，没有带回家。色列人虽然没有反应，神却没有放弃，继续给他们默示，期望能唤醒他们的灵。

这次神先介绍自己，希望以色列人记得祂是谁？祂是那铺张诸天，建立地基，造人里面之灵的耶和华。让我们暂停一下，思想“铺张诸天”是何意？诸天，表示天有很多层，好像保罗说他曾被提到第三层天(林后12:2)，这样的事对人是个奥秘。能够“铺张诸天”，代表耶和华是怎样的神呢？“建立地基”，现在很多人都想知道地球里面是什么，海的最深处在哪里？有多深？但是人只能测察到一部份，目前人类钻探的最深孔洞是位于俄罗斯的科拉超深钻孔，但它也只深入地下12.3 公里而已。

God Has a Bigger Vision for Your Life

2024-01-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Haggai 2:10-23. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself and see what you can glean from it with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Then read this GAME sharing below. 
 
This passage is not an easy one to understand at first, but stick with me and you’re going to learn some powerful lessons.  Let’s go!

Haggai 2:11 (NIV) 
11 “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 

On verse 11:  Just as the Lord asked Haggai to test and question the priests about the Jewish law, as priests in God’s kingdom you and I need to know the word of God well so that we can answer the questions God places on the hearts of people around us.  May you study the Scriptures well and be someone “who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). 

The Promise of God’s Presence Makes You Courageous

2024-01-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Haggai 2:1-9. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself and see what you can glean from it with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Then read this GAME sharing below. 
 
Haggai 2:1-5 (NIV) 
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 
2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 
3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 
4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 
5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

On verses 1-5:  Over a month has passed since Haggai gave the Jews his first message found in chapter 1.  Now the Jews are a month into their mission of rebuilding the house of God in Jerusalem and are experiencing some challenges.  Haggai comes to them again with a word from God.  First Haggai acknowledges that the problem before their eyes seems great: after so many years God’s house does not seem to be anything compared to its former glory (v3).

荣美和联索之杖

2024-01-26 in , /by

撒迦利亚书11:7  于是，我牧养这将宰的群羊，就是群中最困苦的羊。我拿着两根杖，一根我称为「荣美」，一根我称为「联索」。这样，我牧养了群羊。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 11:1-17

1黎巴嫩哪，开开你的门，任火烧灭你的香柏树！ 2 松树啊，应当哀号！因为香柏树倾倒，佳美的树毁坏。巴珊的橡树啊，应当哀号！因为茂盛的树林已经倒了。 3 听啊！有牧人哀号的声音，因他们荣华的草场毁坏了；有少壮狮子咆哮的声音，因约旦河旁的丛林荒废了。

在第十章里，神有许多应许，神说：“我要坚固犹大家，拯救约瑟家，要领他们归回。我要怜恤他们，他们必像未曾弃绝的一样。都因我是耶和华他们的神，我必应允他们的祷告”，但是以色列人必须向神求。这是神对人的要求，人必须和神有互动的关系。但是从历史上来看，以色列人对神的反应很冷漠，甚至在神应许七十年后要带他们回到耶路撒冷时，大部分被掳的以色列人都无动于衷，因为他们在异乡已经打下了生活的基础，懒得再动，也舍不得放弃好不容易积下来的家产。所以在第11章里，是讲到神对人冷漠的回应之审判。

先知借着向黎巴嫩的呼喊，表明原本象征荣美与坚固的香柏树和松树都要倾倒毁坏。开门的意思是门户洞开，不再有防卫和保护的作用，任火烧灭，火代表侵略者，也代表神的审判。香柏树是众树中最高大荣美之树，是建造圣殿和王宫的材料，因此又可喻为国权和君王之倒下。他们是国家的牧人，带领者，又是领袖，但是在国家被毁时，却无力支撑，只能发出哀号。少壮狮子咆哮，因为牠们居住的丛林荒废了，再也找不到住的地方。

Whose House Are You Building?

2024-01-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Haggai.  Despite being the second shortest book in the Old Testament, the book of Haggai is packed with powerful lessons.  
 
Here is some historical background that will help you understand what’s going on in the book of Haggai:
 
–  In approximately 612 B.C. Babylon became the pre-eminent power in the world after defeating Assyria and later Egypt in 605 B.C.  Babylon would invade Judah 3 times over the next 20 years and each time they would take Jewish captives with them back to Babylon.
 
–  In approximately 586 B.C. the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem where the Jews worshiped and took back with them to Babylon most of the Jews living in Jerusalem.  For the next several decades, the Jews would live as exiles in Babylon.
 
–  In approximately 539 B.C. the Persians defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews living in Babylon to return to Judah under the leadership of Zerubabbel as governor and Joshua as high priest.  The Persians gave the Jews permission to re-build the temple that the Babylonians destroyed.  However, after 6 years of trying to rebuild the temple (from 536 BC to 530 BC), the Jews gave up working on it and apathy set in.  

你们要向耶和华求雨

2024-01-25 in , /by

撒迦利亚书 10:12  我必使他们倚靠我得以坚固，一举一动必奉我的名。这是耶和华说的。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 10:1-12

1「当春雨的时候，你们要向发闪电的耶和华求雨，他必为众人降下甘霖，使田园生长菜蔬。 2 因为家神所言的是虚空，卜士所见的是虚假，做梦者所说的是假梦。他们白白地安慰人，所以众人如羊流离，因无牧人就受苦。 3 我的怒气向牧人发作，我必惩罚公山羊，因我万军之耶和华眷顾自己的羊群，就是犹大家，必使他们如骏马在阵上。 4 房角石、钉子、争战的弓和一切掌权的都从他而出。 5 他们必如勇士，在阵上将仇敌践踏在街上的泥土中。他们必争战，因为耶和华与他们同在，骑马的也必羞愧。

上一章讲到耶和华是战士，推罗西顿和非利士人要受审判，弥赛亚谦谦和和地骑着驴驹子进城，也讲到要攻击希腊的众子，其实是讲到三块不同的时空。〈撒迦利亚书〉是在波斯帝国、大利乌王时代所写，波斯帝国之后有希腊帝国，希腊帝国之后有罗马帝国，所以讲到耶稣要来就是在罗马帝国时的事，讲到要攻击希腊的众子，就是在希腊帝国时的事。当先知撒迦利亚在波斯帝国期间看到这些不同时空的场景，他也不知道自己所讲的场景会相隔这么久。另外，先知书之后，神沉默四百年，直到耶稣降临。

进到第10章，先知就说：「你们要向发闪电的耶和华求雨」(10:1b)。耶和华怎样使他们得胜？就是要他们开口祈求，否则，就算波斯帝国灭亡了，他们还是被奴役；就算罗马帝国灭亡了，以色列人还是被奴役。神的应许每一个年代都存在，可是这里面却少了一个元素，就是以色列人要起来开口求。有的人问，既然神知道我们的需要，为何还需要祷告？